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GREAT OPERATIC ARIAS CHAN 3099 CHANDOS O PERA IN ENGLISH

PETER MOORES FOUNDATION CHAN 3099 BOOK.qxd 6/4/07 12:43 pm Page 2 Russell Duncan Russell

Great Operatic Arias with Yvonne Kenny

Session photo: Yvonne Kenny

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Time Page Time Page (1685–1759) from Rinaldo from Così fan tutte Armida’s Aria (Ah! crudel) Fiordiligi and Ferrando’s Duet (Fra gli amplessi) 1 ‘Ah! Cruel man’ 5:22 [p. 46] 5 ‘By tomorrow we’ll be together’ 6:17 [p. 48] with Eligio Quinteiro theorbo and Catherine Edwards harpsichord with Bruce Ford

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Franz Lehár (1870–1948) from The Marriage of Figaro from Letter Duet (Che soave zefiretto) Vilia Song 2 ‘Well, what did you tell him?’ – 6 ‘A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest glade’ 5:32 [p. 50] ‘How delightful ’tis to wander’ 3:33 [p. 46] with Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, James A. Ellis arranger/mandolin and with soprano Nigel Woodhouse mandolin from Così fan tutte (All Women are like That) Emmerich Kálmán (1882–1953) Fiordiligi’s Recitative and Rondo (Per pietà) from The Gypsy Princess 3 ‘He’s left me…’ – Sylva and Edwin’s Duet (Weiß du es nicht?) ‘Ah, forgive, my love, forgive me’ 8:47 [p. 47] 7 ‘Festive laughter, celebration’ – ‘Where are they now?’ 6:37 [p. 50] (1864–1949) with Bruce Ford tenor from Arabella Arabella and Zdenka’s Duet (Aber der richtige) Richard Strauss 4 ‘He’s not the one who is right for me’ 6:36 [p. 48] from Capriccio with Rebecca Evans soprano Closing Scene 8 ‘Where is my brother?’ 21:58 [p. 52] with Roderick Williams and Timothy Jones horn

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Time Page

George Gershwin (1898–1937) Kiran Chang from The Show Is On ‘By Strauss’ 9 ‘Away with the music of Broadway!’ 2:39 [p. 54]

Ivor Novello (1893–1951) from King’s Rhapsody Princess Cristiane’s Song 10 ‘Some day my heart will awake’ 2:47 [p. 54] TT 70:14 Yvonne Kenny soprano London Symphony Orchestra Clio Gould leader Martin Fitzpatrick assistant conductor Richard Hickox

Yvonne Kenny as the Countess in ’s production of Strauss’s Capriccio

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Beaumarchais’ Barber, ‘what cannot be spoken service, and return disguised as Albanians. The Great Operatic Arias nowadays will be sung’, and Mozart’s Figaro maid, who has been bribed by Alfonso but went ahead, though da Ponte did tone down doesn’t recognise the men, encourages her The fortunes of Handel’s dramatic works Lorenzo da Ponte was a rakish figure who some of the more subversive elements. employers to look favourably on the new underwent a remarkable revival in the second was employed as poet to the court theatre in Countess Almaviva and her maid, Susanna, suitors. The first to succumb is Dorabella; half of the twentieth century. Never to be Vienna. Dismissed in the year of Mozart’s are planning to put a stop to the Count’s Fiordiligi, the part written for Adriana forgotten is the pioneering work of the Handel death, he later found a position as poet to the amorous pursuits by means of a trick. Ferrarese, is made of sterner stuff, and in ‘He’s Opera Society, Kent Opera, and the Unicorn new King’s Theatre, Haymarket (the theatre Almaviva is to meet Susanna in the garden left me… Ah, forgive, my love’ (track 3 ) she Theatre at Abingdon. This was followed in the that Handel knew having burned down). He that night; but the rendezvous will be kept by reproaches herself for being tempted, and begs 1980s and 1990s by stagings of his operas and fled to the United States to escape his creditors his own wife. In ‘How delightful ’tis to her absent lover for forgiveness. The aria is oratorios at , at Covent and became a grocer, a bookseller, and wander’ (track 2 ), Susanna writes to the notable for its prominent horn parts: Garden and at Glyndebourne, several of which Professor of Italian Literature at Columbia erring husband at the Countess’s dictation. Beethoven disapproved of the opera’s moral saw Yvonne Kenny in a starring role. College, dying in New York at the age of The voices alternate, then combine in tone but was happy enough to follow suit Opening with a run of fifteen performances eighty-nine. sensuous thirds, with a commentary provided, when composing Leonore’s great soliloquy in in early 1711, Rinaldo was the first Italian The Marriage of Figaro (1786) was the first as in Rinaldo, by oboe and bassoon. Fidelio. opera to be written expressly for the London of da Ponte’s collaborations with Mozart, the Così fan tutte (1790) means ‘All women Shortly afterwards, Fiordiligi vows to follow stage. Performed at the Queen’s Theatre, others being Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. behave like that’ (da Ponte preferred his the officers onto the field of battle, taking Haymarket (roughly on the site of Her It was based on the play by Pierre-Augustin alternative title, which in English is the more Dorabella with her. They will kit themselves Majesty’s Theatre), it is set at the time of the Caron de Beaumarchais, who wrote it as a elegant ‘The school for lovers’). Don Alfonso, out in their lovers’ spare uniforms. (What were First Crusade, which culminated in the sequel to The Barber of Seville. Beaumarchais, a cynical old bachelor, bets his two young uniforms doing in the girls’ house, one capture of Jerusalem in 1099. Armida, a character as colourful as da Ponte, had got friends that, provided they obey his orders to wonders?) ‘By tomorrow we'll be together’ sorceress and Queen of Damascus, is in love into trouble in Paris for his depictions of the the letter, he can make each of their girl- (track 5 ), she sings; but she is overheard by with Rinaldo, one of the Christian knights. lower orders outwitting their aristocratic friends transfer her affections to the other Ferrando, whose blandishments she was earlier She assumes the form of his betrothed, but masters. The Barber had been performed in man. The setting is Naples, but the girls are trying to resist, and soon they are in each fails to seduce him. After his rapid departure, Vienna in the setting by Paisiello, which from Ferrara: da Ponte’s little joke, as one of other’s arms. All is resolved by the men re- she veers from pleading to threatening and remained a repertory work until it was blown the singers, known as La Ferrarese, was his entering as their old selves. Don Alfonso has back again in ‘Ah! Cruel man’ (track 1 ). out of the water by Rossini, but Figaro, as a mistress. won his bet and the original partnerships are Oboe and bassoon eloquently underscore her play, was banned. However, as a contemporary The young men leave their sweethearts, resumed, each of the four young people now passion. reviewer wrote, slightly misquoting pretending to be called away on military sadder and wiser.

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‘The Mozart of the Champs-Elysées’ was widowed Hanna Glawari should not be lost to who had starred there in Lehár’s last work, actual collaboration being over an adaptation Rossini’s assessment of Offenbach, whose his country. ; but on the arrival of the Nazis of his stage play, Elektra. Arabella (1933) was were all the rage in Paris during the It is essential, therefore, that Hanna should Kálmán fled via Paris and London to the USA the last, but Hofmannsthal never saw the 1850s and 1860s. They were popular in marry someone from Pontevedro; and the and the staging never took place. result: he died suddenly in 1929, leaving Vienna, too, which led to the creation of Baron’s candidate is Count Danilo The Gypsy Princess turns on the love Acts II and III in draft, and without having home-grown products by Suppé, Millöcker Danilovitch, the secretary to the Pontevedrin between Sylva Varescu and Edwin, the son of read the congratulatory telegram that Strauss and, especially, Johann Strauss the younger. By legation. Danilo, a former lover of Hanna’s, Prince von und zu Lippert-Weylersheim. The had sent him on receiving the final version of the end of the century their star was waning, affects to prefer the company of the girls from Prince is resolutely opposed to his son’s Act I. but Viennese received a shot in the Maxim’s; but eventually he admits his love for marrying Sylva, a mere cabaret singer, but Arabella is also set in Vienna – in the 1860s, arm with the advent of Franz Lehár and Hanna, and all ends happily. ‘A Vilia who liv’d finally relents when it is revealed that his own this time – and Strauss again features the waltz. Emmerich Kálmán. In an amusing parallel by a cool forest glade’ (track 6 ), about a wife, a widowed countess when he married The opera has suffered from being with Offenbach, who was no Frenchman, wood-nymph who abandons a young man her, had herself been a singer. In the middle unfavourably compared with : neither composer was from Austria: both were after a night of love, is sung by Hanna at a act, which takes place at the Lippert- if it lacks the bitter-sweet attraction of the born in , Kálmán to Hungarian party in the garden of her house. Weylersheim palace in Vienna, Edwin and earlier work, it is nonetheless treasurable for parents, Lehár to a Hungarian mother. , one of the two collaborators on Sylva are each partnered by someone else. Strauss’s sensuous writing for his favourite Many of Lehár’s later works, including The the of The Merry Widow, performed ‘Where are they now?’ (track 7 ) is a waltz in voice, the soprano. An impoverished aristocrat, Tsarevitch and , were written the same task for The Gypsy Princess; it which they look back on their past happiness. Count Waldner, is living with his wife and two as vehicles for the tenor , and opened in 1915, ten years after The Merry It might seem a long way from Viennese daughters, Arabella and Zdenka, in a hotel. To first performed in Berlin. The composer’s Widow, and featured the same leading lady, operetta, with its froth and glitter, to the save on the expense of launching two girls into greatest success, however, pre-dates the Tauber Mizzi Günther. Kálmán’s operetta career began rather more serious dramas of Richard Strauss, society, Zdenka is forced to dress as a boy. As era and was premiered in Vienna in 1905. with The Gay Hussars (called Autumn but in fact the two worlds are closely such she is the confidant(e) of Matteo, a young This was The Merry Widow, of which the Manoeuvres when it reached London), connected. In Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of officer in love with Arabella who cannot story, like that of many Viennese operettas premiered in . The Gypsy Princess was the Rose), which is set in eighteenth-century understand why Arabella is so cool in person including Strauss’s masterpiece Die Fledermaus, followed by many further successes, including Vienna, Strauss adopted the idiom of his when she writes him such passionate letters. was based on a French original. Indeed it is set Countess Mariza in 1924 and The Circus namesake (but no relation), producing a string He doesn’t realise, naturally, that the letters in Paris, where Baron Mirko Zeta, the envoy Princess two years later. A production of The of anachronistic but brilliant waltzes. Der have been forged by Zdenka, who herself is in of the small and impoverished state of Empress Josephine, first performed in Zürich in Rosenkavalier was the first libretto that the love with him. Pontevedro (, in other words), is 1936, was planned for the Vienna State Opera Viennese poet and playwright Hugo von In ‘He’s not the one who is right for me’ anxious that the huge fortune of the recently- with Richard Tauber and Jarmila Novotná, Hofmannsthal wrote for Strauss, their first (track 4 ), Arabella explains her feelings to

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Zdenka. For the passage beginning ‘The one King’s Rhapsody, a ‘musical romance’, was This was written by the Gershwin brothers for (), Susanna who’s right for me’, Strauss adapts a South first produced in August 1949, a fortnight The Show Is On, a Broadway revue by many (Le nozze di Figaro), Slav folksong, one of three in the opera that he before Strauss’s death. It was one of the last of different hands that opened in December Adina (L’elisir found in a nineteenth-century collection. After the plays with music by , with 1936. However, its fame dates from long after d’amore), Liù Zdenka’s response the tune returns, this time lyrics by Christopher Hassall, of which the George Gershwin’s death, when it was (Turandot), Aspasia with the younger sister soaring above it in a best known is probably The Dancing Years. included in An American in Paris. Released in (Mitridate) and glorious descant. Novello took the male lead in his musical October 1951, the film marked the screen Donna Anna Arabella does end up with ‘Mr Right’: plays, and indeed had been appearing in King’s début of Leslie Caron, but it was not she who (Don Giovanni). Mandryka, a landowner from Croatia. The Rhapsody at the time of his death. sang this affectionate parody; instead, it was She has won fate of the Countess in Capriccio (1942) is The story is set in two imaginary kingdoms performed by Georges Guetary and the other international renown much less certain since, as her servants put it, (with one scene at the Paris Opéra, where the male leads, Gene Kelly and Oscar Levant. The in the great Handel she ‘is in love and doesn’t know with whom’. young Caruso – who ‘should do well’ – is humorously derogatory reference to Gershwin roles, notably and (Covent Strauss’s last opera, premiered in wartime singing in Faust). Princess Cristiane of and his fellow composers didn’t appear in the Garden and La Fenice, Venice), Romilda Munich, is a conversation piece on an old and Norseland is unmarried: and film, perhaps because Irving Berlin and Cole (Xerxes) for English National Opera and the complex subject, the relative importance in Denmark have grabbed all the eligible princes, Porter were still alive. It would be nice to Bavarian State Opera, and both Cleopatra opera of the music and the words. Far from and she hasn’t met anyone with whom she think that Porter had the original version in () and Armida (Rinaldo) in being an arid discussion, though, the story could fall in love. Moreover, she is known as mind when he came to write ‘Wunderbar’, one . She has also sung at the San Francisco takes wing through the respective arts being the Snow Princess. Her heart may be cold, she of the hit numbers in Kiss me, Kate. Opera, the Vienna State Opera, personified by Flamand, a composer, and says, or ‘it may be just asleep’, at which point Milan, the Berlin Staatsoper, the Bayerische Olivier, a poet, who both love the Countess. she sings ‘Some day my heart will awake’ © 2003 Richard Lawrence Staatsoper in Munich, Paris Opéra, in She promises to make known her decision (track 10 ). She subsequently marries Nikki, , Zurich, Washington and between them at 11 o’clock next morning. But the formerly exiled prince of the Balkan Yvonne Kenny was born in Australia and is Glyndebourne, and she returns frequently in the last scene (track 8 ), as she sings to kingdom of Murania who has now ascended one of the most distinguished sopranos of her to her native Australia where she has sung herself the sonnet written by Olivier and set to the throne, but political events drive them generation. She made her operatic debut in many roles. She was made a Member of the music by Flamand, the question – of love, as apart. Nikki abdicates and returns to exile. London as Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghilterra. Order of Australia for Services to Music in of aesthetics – remains undecided. Perhaps the The song is heard again at the end, as their After winning the 1989. answer lies in the orchestra, where the solo infant son is crowned king. Competition she joined Yvonne Kenny’s many recordings include horn plays a rapturous introduction and also ‘Some day my heart will awake’ is a waltz; House, Covent Garden, where her roles have Le nozze di Figaro, Die Entführung aus dem has the last word. and so, of course, is ‘By Strauss’ (track 9 ). included Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Ilia Serail, Elgar’s The Kingdom, Britten’s

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The Beggar’s Opera and Gloriana, Handel’s Director and now Conductor Emeritus of His exclusive association with Chandos, Williams symphonies with the London , Dyson’s The Canterbury Pilgrims (for the Northern Sinfonia, and Co-Director of for whom he has already made over 150 Symphony Orchestra, complete cycles of the Chandos), highlights from Der Rosenkavalier the period instrument group Collegium recordings, will continue well into the future music of Frank Bridge and of Michael and and a disc of Great Operatic Arias (for Musicum 90 since its formation in 1990. with the completion of his series of Britten Sir Lennox Berkeley with the BBC National Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation), and for Winner of the Gramophone Record of the operas with the , the Orchestra of Wales, and Masses by Hummel Donizetti’s Emilia di Liverpool, Year and best Orchestral disc of 2001 (as well continuation of his acclaimed cycle of Vaughan and Schubert with . L’eremitaggio di Liverpool, and Ugo, Conte di as a Brit Award) for his recording with the Parigi, and Meyerbeer’s Il crociato in Egitto. London Symphony Orchestra of the original version of Vaughan Williams’s Symphony Internationally No. 2, he has received many other awards, regarded as one including a Grammy for and a

Greg Barrett Greg of Britain’s further three Gramophone Awards. Committed most respected to a wide repertoire, he has regularly and versatile conducted the major UK orchestras and conductors, appeared at festivals such as Aldeburgh, Bath, Richard Hickox Cheltenham and the BBC Proms, and he has CBE, currently conducted many of the leading orchestras in Principal Europe, Japan and North America. Opera is a Conductor of the major part of his activities and he has made BBC National guest appearances at the Vienna State Opera, Orchestra of English National Opera, the Spoleto Festival Wales, has in (where he was Music Director for five recently been years), and in venues in Sydney, Washington appointed Music Director of Opera Australia, and Los Angeles. He has been elected an based at the , from Honorary Fellow of Queens’ College January 2005. His other positions include Cambridge, awarded a Doctorate of Music at Associate Guest Conductor of the London in 2003 and made a CBE Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours List in 2002 City of London Sinfonia, former Artistic for services to British music.

14 15 CHAN 3099 BOOK.qxd 6/4/07 12:44 pm Page 16 Branco Gaica Branco Gaica Branco

Anson Austin as Edwin and Yvonne Kenny as Armida in Yvonne Kenny as Sylva in Opera Opera Australia’s production of Australia’s production of Handel’s Rinaldo Kálmán’s The Gypsy Princess

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SIR PETER MOORES, CBE, DL youth, social and environmental projects. To date, because of his initiatives and life-long Sir Peter Moores was born in Lancashire and educated at Eton College commitment to these causes, he has disbursed more than £85 million of his own money through and Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied Italian and German. He the Foundation and the Peter Moores Charitable Trust – ‘to get things done and to open doors’.

Bill Cooper/PMF Bill had a ‘gap year’ at Glyndebourne working as a behind-the-scenes Projects to help the young have ranged from a scheme to encourage young Afro-Caribbeans to administrator before going to Oxford, then studied for three years at the stay on at school to the endowment of a Faculty Directorship and Chair of Management Studies at Vienna Academy of Music, where he produced the Austrian premiere of Oxford University (providing the lead donation in 1991 for the new School of Management 's The Rape of Lucretia and was a production assistant Studies). In 1994 a permanent Transatlantic Slave Trade Gallery, initiated by Peter Moores, opened with the Vienna State Opera working as assistant producer of at the Merseyside Maritime Museum, with the aim of fostering discussion about the heritage and performances by Viennese artists at the San Carlo Opera House, Naples, true history of the slave trade. Substantial help was given to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic at the Geneva Festival and at the Rome Opera. Development Trust, whilst through annual PMF Scholarships established in 1971 well over In 1957 he joined his father’s business, Littlewoods, becoming two hundred young singers have received practical support at the outset of their careers, enabling a Vice-Chairman in 1976, Chairman from 1977 to 1980 and remaining a significant number to become international opera stars. director until 1993. His public appointments include from 1981 to 1983 Governor of the BBC, In 1993 the Foundation acquired Compton Verney, an eighteenth-century mansion, and Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 to 1985 and from 1988 to 1992 a Director of Scottish established the Compton Verney House Trust, an independent charity which it funded in order to Opera. He received the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary MA from transform the mansion into an art gallery designed especially to encourage newcomers to the visual Christ Church, Oxford in 1975, and was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Northern arts. Alongside major international touring exhibitions, it will house permanent collections of College of Music in 1985. In 1992 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant (DL) of Lancashire by North European art, Neapolitan paintings and one of the finest collections of archaic oriental HM Queen Elizabeth II. He was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1991 bronzes in the UK, as well as a British Portrait Collection and a British Folk Art Collection. The and received a Knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List for 2003 in recognition of his gallery is scheduled to open in Spring 2004. charitable services to the arts. Opera has given the Foundation its most public ‘face’. Since Peter Moores initiated the live recording of the ‘Goodall Ring’ at the London Coliseum in the 1970s, the Foundation has enabled PETER MOORES FOUNDATION some eighty recordings to be produced: ’ Opera in English series – ‘Opera that Peter Moores’ philanthropic work began with his passion for opera: in his twenties he identified speaks your language’ – is now the largest recorded collection of operas sung in English whilst and helped a number of young artists in the crucial, early stages of their careers, several of whom – Opera Rara’s recordings of rare bel canto operas have opened up an immensely rich repertory Dame , Sir Colin Davis and the late Sir Geraint Evans amongst them – became previously only accessible to scholars. In live performance, the Foundation has encouraged the world-famous. He set up his eponymous Foundation in 1964 when he was thirty-two, in order to creation of new work and schemes to attract new audiences, financing the publication of scores develop his charitable aims, not only in music and the visual arts, but also in education, health, and enabling rarely heard works to be staged by British opera companies and festivals.

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den Adel durch den dritten Stand überlisten scuola degli amanti (“Die Schule der Große Opernarien ließ. The Barber of Seville erreichte Wien in Liebenden”), was übrigens auch im Englischen der Vertonung von Paisiello und hatte dort als als “The school for lovers” eleganter klingt als Die dramatischen Werke Händels erfuhren in Cruel man” (Band 1 ) zwischen Liebe und populäres Repertoirestück nachhaltigen Erfolg, “All women behave like that”. Don Alfonso, der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts eine Hass hin und her gerissen. Oboe und Fagott bis es von der Rossini-Oper verdrängt wurde, ein zynischer alter Junggeselle, bietet zwei bemerkenswerte Renaissance. Nie zu untermalen eloquent ihre Leidenschaft. doch Figaro war als Schauspiel verboten. Wie jungen Freunden eine Wette an: Wenn sich die vergessende Pionierarbeit leisteten dabei in Lorenzo da Ponte war ein italienischer allerdings ein zeitgenössischer Kritiker unter beiden Offiziere genau an seine Weisungen England die Handel Opera Society, die Kent Lebemann, der als Librettist am Wiener Anlehnung an die Worte von Beaumarchais’ halten, wird er ihre Verlobten (zwei Opera und das Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon. Hoftheater beschäftigt war. Nach seiner Barber bemerkte: “Was man nicht sagen darf, Schwestern) dazu bringen, sich jeweils dem In den achtziger und neunziger Jahren folgten Entlassung im Todesjahr Mozarts fand er eine wird heutzutage gesungen.” So setzte sich anderen zuzuwenden. Der Schauplatz ist die English National Opera, die Royal Opera Anstellung am King’s Theatre, Haymarket (das Mozarts Figaro durch, nachdem da Ponte Neapel, doch die Frauen stammen aus Ferrara Covent Garden und die Glyndebourne Festival Theater, das Händel gekannt hatte, war einige der subversiveren Elemente – ein kleiner Scherz da Pontes, denn eine der Opera mit Opern- und Oratoriums- niedergebrannt). Später floh er vor seinen abgeschwächt hatte. Sängerinnen, seine eigene Geliebte, war als “La inszierungen, in denen oft Yvonne Kenny eine Gläubigern nach Amerika, wo er sich zunächst Die Gräfin Almaviva und ihr Ferrarese” bekannt. Hauptrolle spielte. als Krämer und Buchhändler durchschlug, Kammermädchen Susanna wollen die Die jungen Männer verabschieden sich von Anfang 1711 debütierte Rinaldo als erste bevor er Professor für italienische Literatur am amourösen Pläne des Grafen vereiteln. ihren Verlobten, weil sie angeblich zu den eigens für London komponierte italienische Columbia College wurde. Er starb mit Almaviva soll sich mit Susanna im Garten Waffen gerufen werden, und treten wenig Oper und bestätigte das Konzept mit fünfzehn 89 Jahren in New York. verabreden, doch zum Stelldichein wird in später als Albanier verkleidet wieder auf. Das Aufführungen bis zum Ende der Spielzeit am The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro, Verkleidung die Gräfin selbst erscheinen. In Kammermädchen, das zwar von Alfonso Queen’s Theatre, Haymarket (etwa dort, wo 1786) war das erste Ergebnis von da Pontes “How delightful ’tis to wander” (Band 2 ) bestochen worden ist, aber die Männer nicht heute Her Majesty’s Theatre steht). Die Zusammenarbeit mit Mozart, dem lässt sich Susanna von der Gräfin einen Brief erkennt, ermutigt die Herrinnen zu mehr Handlung spielt zur Zeit des Ersten Don Giovanni und Così fan tutte folgen an den treulosen Gatten diktieren. Die Freizügigkeit in ihrem Liebesleben. Dorabella Kreuzzugs, der 1099 in der Eroberung sollten. Das Werk basierte auf einer Komödie Stimmen wechseln sich ab und verschmelzen wird als erste schwach. Fiordiligi, die von Jerusalems gipfelte. Armida, Zauberin und von Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, dann in sinnlichen Terzen, während Oboe und Adriana Ferrarese verkörperte Schwester, ist Königin von Damaskus, hat ihr Auge auf die er als Fortsetzung zu The Barber of Seville Fagott wie in Rinaldo ihren Kommentar dazu standhafter; aber in “He’s left me … Ah, Rinaldo, einen der Kreuzritter, geworfen. Sie verfasst hatte. Beaumarchais, eine nicht geben. forgive, my love” (Band 3 ) macht sie sich nimmt die Gestalt seiner geliebten Almirena minder schillernde Gestalt als da Ponte, hatte Così fan tutte (1790) – zu deutsch: “So dennoch Vorwürfe, und sie bittet den an, kann ihn aber dennoch nicht verführen. in Paris Schwierigkeiten bekommen, weil er machen’s alle” – war nicht da Pontes erste abwesenden Verlobten um Vergebung für Nach seinem raschen Abgang wird sie in “Ah! neben anderen gesellschaftskritischen Ansätzen Wahl für den Titel; er selbst bevorzugte La ihren Wankelmut. Die Arie zeichnet sich

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durch ihre prominenten Hornstimmen aus: doch die Wiener Operette erlebte unter Franz Hanna liiert und gibt nun vor, die Gesellschaft Inszenierung wurde durch den Anschluss Beethoven lehnte zwar die lockere Moral der Lehár und Emmerich Kálmán eine neue Blüte. der jungen Damen aus dem Maxim verhindert. Kálmán emigrierte über Paris und Oper ab, bediente sich aber gerne musikalisch, Ironischerweise entstammten diese beiden – so vorzuziehen; am Ende gesteht er aber seine London nach Amerika. als er Leonores großartigen Monolog für wie Offenbach als Deutscher in Frankreich Liebe zu Hanna ein, und alle sind glücklich. The Gypsy Princess handelt von der Liebe Fidelio schrieb. reüssierte – als gebürtige Ungarn eigentlich “A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest glade” zwischen Sylva Varescu und Edwin, dem Sohn Wenig später gelobt Fiordiligi, gemeinsam einem anderen Kulturkreis. (Band 6 ), erzählt die Geschichte von einer des Fürsten von und zu Lippert-Weylersheim. mit Dorabella den Offizieren an die Front zu Viele der späteren Werke Lehárs, wie Waldnymphe, die ihren sterblichen Geliebten Der Fürst widersetzt sich der folgen. Sie werden sich in die Ersatzuniformen (The Tsarevitch) und Das Land am Ende der Nacht verlässt, und wird von unstandesgemäßen Ehe seines Stammhalters der Männer kleiden. (Was hatten wohl die des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles), wurden für Hanna bei einem Fest im Garten ihres Hauses mit der Chansonette, gibt aber schließlich Uniformen im Haus der tugendhaften den Tenor Richard Tauber komponiert und in gesungen. nach, als sich herausstellt, dass seine eigene Schwestern zu suchen?) “By tomorrow we’ll be Berlin uraufgeführt. Der größte Erfolg des Obwohl zwischen den Uraufführungen der Gattin eine Primadonna gewesen war, bevor er together” (Band 5 ), singt sie; aber sie wird Komponisten stammte jedoch noch aus der Lustigen Witwe und der The Gypsy Princess sie als verwitwete Gräfin kennenlernte und von Ferrando belauscht, dessen Vorkriegszeit und kam in Wien zur (Czárdásfürstin) (1915) ganze zehn Jahre lagen, heiratete. Im mittleren Akt, der im Palais Schmeicheleien sie vorher kaum widerstehen Uraufführung. Gemeint ist The Merry Widow war in ihnen die Tradition stark: So war nicht Lippert-Weylersheim in Wien spielt, sind konnte, und bald liegen sich die beiden in den (Die lustige Witwe) (1905), die wie so viele nur Leo Stein erneut für das Libretto Edwin und Sylva anderen Partnern zugedacht. Armen. Mit der Rückkehr der beiden Offiziere Wiener Operetten, auch das Strauß- mitverantwortlich, sondern Mizzi Günther “Where are they now?” (Band 7 ) ist ein in eigener Gestalt findet die Geschichte ein Meisterwerk Die Fledermaus, auf einer spielte auch wieder die Hauptrolle. Kálmáns Walzer, in dem sich die beiden an ihre Ende. Don Alfonso hat seine Wette französischen Vorlage beruhte. Der Schauplatz Karriere als Operettenkomponist hatte mit glückliche Vergangenheit erinnern. gewonnen. Die Paare sind wieder vereint, und ist tatsächlich Paris, wo Baron Mirko Zeta, der Tatárjárás in Budapest begonnen, bevor diese Zwischen der Wiener Operette mit ihrem alle vier Betroffenen haben hinzugelernt. Gesandte des verarmten Kleinstaates ungarische Komödie ihren Siegeszug in Wien Schaum und Glitter und den Musikdramen Als “Mozart der Champs-Elysées” Pontevedro (sprich: Montenegro) ängstlich (Ein Herbstmanöver), New York (The Gay von Richard Strauss scheinen Welten zu bezeichnete Rossini den Operetten- darum bemüht ist, das Riesenvermögen der Hussars) und London (Autumn Manoeuvres) liegen, doch in Wirklichkeit sind sie eng komponisten Offenbach, dessen Werke nach unlängst verwitweten Hanna Glawari für sein fortsetzte. An die Gypsy Princess schlossen sich miteinander verwandt. Der Rosenkavalier spielt Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts in Paris der letzte Land nicht zu verlieren. viele weitere Erfolge an, darunter Gräfin im Wien des 18. Jahrhunderts, inspiriert sich Schrei waren. Die neue Gattung kam auch in Am besten wäre es, wenn Hanna einen Mariza 1924 und Die Zirkusprinzessin 1926. aber immer wieder auf glänzende, wenn auch Wien gut an, wo sie von Suppé, Millöcker und Mann aus Pontevedro heiraten würde, und kam 1936 in Zürich heraus, anachronistische Weise am Wiener Walzer. insbesondere von Johann Strauß (Sohn) dazu hat der Baron den Grafen Danilo doch eine mit Richard Tauber (dem Star von Dies war das erste Libretto, das der Wiener aufgegriffen wurde. Gegen Ende des Danilowitsch auserlesen, den Sekretär seiner Giuditta, Léhars letztem Werk) und Jarmila Dichter und Dramatiker Hugo von Jahrhunderts verblasste der Stern Offenbachs, Gesandschaft. Danilo war bereits einmal mit Novotná für die Wiener Staatsoper geplante Hofmannsthal eigens für Strauss schrieb,

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nachdem er zuvor bereits sein Schauspiel schreibt. Er ahnt natürlich nicht, dass die Sie verspricht für den nächsten Tag um elf Mag sein, dass sie ein Herz aus Eis hat, oder Elektra für den Komponisten bearbeitet hatte. Briefe eigentlich von Zdenka stammen, die Uhr mittags eine Entscheidung. Doch als sie vielleicht schläft es nur, aber eines Tages – Arabella (1933), das letzte Produkt dieser ihn selbst liebt. für sich zum Schluss der Oper ein von Olivier davon ist sie überzeugt – wird es erwachen Zusammenarbeit, war ein Bühnenerlebnis, das In “He’s not the one who is right for me” verfasstes und von Flamand vertontes Sonett (“Some day my heart will awake” (Band 10 )). Hofmannsthal selbst versagt blieb: Als er 1929 (Band 4 ), erklärt Arabella der Schwester ihre singt, bleibt die Frage der Liebe ebenso wie die Sie heiratet schließlich Nikki, den zeitweilig einem Schlaganfall erlag, hinterließ er den Gefühle. Bei der Passage, die mit “The one der Ästhetik ungelöst. Vielleicht liegt die verbannten Prinzen des Balkanreiches zweiten und dritten Akt im Entwurf und who’s right for me” beginnt, lehnt sich Strauss Antwort im Orchester, wo das Solohorn eine Murania, der inzwischen die Thronfolge konnte nicht einmal mehr das Danktelegramm an eine südslawische Volksweise an – eines von leidenschaftliche Einleitung spielt und auch angetreten hat, doch die politische lesen, das ihm Strauss für die endgültige drei Liedern, die er in einer Sammlung aus das letzte Wort hat. Entwicklung treibt einen Keil zwischen die Fassung des ersten Aktes geschickt hatte. dem 19. Jahrhundert fand und in diese Oper King’s Rhapsody, eine “musikalische beiden. Nikki dankt ab und kehrt ins Exil Arabella spielt ebenfalls in Wien – diesmal aufnahm. Nach der Antwort Zdenkas kehrt Romanze”, wurde im August 1949 zurück. Das Lied erklingt noch einmal am um 1860 – und Strauss konzentriert sich die Melodie zurück, diesmal begleitet von uraufgeführt, zwei Wochen vor dem Tod von Ende, als ihr kleiner Sohn zum König gekrönt wieder auf den Walzer. Neben dem einem wunderschönen Diskant der jüngeren Strauss. Es war eines der letzten Muscials aus wird. Rosenkavalier ist diese Oper oft stiefmütterlich Schwester. der Feder Ivor Novellos, nach einem Text von “Some day my heart will awake” ist ein behandelt worden, doch selbst wenn man Arabella bekommt am Ende “den Christopher Hassall, von denen man vielleicht Walzer, ebenso wie natürlich “By Strauss” vielleicht das Bittersüße an ihr vermisst, Richtigen”: Mandryka, einen reichen The Dancing Years am besten kennt. Novello (Band 9 ). Diese Gershwin-Nummer entstand besticht sie mit ihrer sinnlichen Musik für die Gutsbesitzer aus Slawonien. Das Schicksal der übernahm in seinen Musicals die männliche für The Show Is On, eine Broadway-Revue Lieblingsstimme des Komponisten, den Gräfin in Capriccio (1942) ist weniger gewiss, Hauptrolle und trat auch zum Zeitpunkt mit Beiträgen vieler Komponisten, die im Sopran. Graf Waldner, ein verarmter denn – so die Diener – sie ist verliebt und weiß seines Todes in King’s Rhapsody auf. Dezember 1936 anlief, aber richtig berühmt Aristokrat, lebt mit seiner Frau und den nicht in wen. Mit seiner letzten, während des Die Handlung spielt in zwei imaginären wurde sie erst nach dem Tod George Töchtern Arabella und Zdenka in einem Krieges in München uraufgeführten Oper legte Königreichen (mit einer Szene an der Pariser Gershwins durch den Film Ein Amerikaner in Hotel. Da die Finanzlage der Familie es nicht Strauss ein “Konservationsstück” über eine Opéra, wo der junge Caruso – der es “weit Paris, der im Oktober 1951 erschien und erlaubt, beide Töchter standesgemäß uralte und komplexe Frage vor: Wem gebührt bringen” dürfte – in Faust auftritt). Prinzessin Leslie Caron ihre erste große Rolle gab. Es war auszuführen, wird Zdenka als Junge in der Oper Vorrang, der Dichtung oder der Cristiane von Norseland ist noch nicht unter allerdings nicht sie, die diese liebenswerte aufgezogen. In dieser Verkleidung schüttet ihr Musik? Was als dröge Diskussion versanden der Haube: Schweden und Dänemark haben Parodie sang, sondern Georges Guétary mit Matteo, ein Verehrer Arabellas, sein Herz aus. könnte, gewinnt dramatische Gestalt dadurch, alle heiratsfähigen Prinzen für sich den beiden anderen männlichen Der junge Offizier kann nicht verstehen, dass die beiden Künste durch zwei Verehrer der vereinnahmt, und sie hat bisher niemanden Hauptdarstellern, Gene Kelly und Oscar warum Arabella ihm die kalte Schulter zeigt, Gräfin, den Komponisten Flamand und den gefunden, in den sie sich verlieben könnte. Levant. Der Film strich den humorvollen obwohl sie ihm doch leidenschaftliche Briefe Poeten Olivier, verkörpert werden. Überdies ist sie als Schneeprinzessin bekannt. Seitenhieb auf Gershwin und seine

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Komponistenkollegen, wohl weil Irving Berlin der San Francisco Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, ernannt worden – eine Aufgabe, die er im Die Oper spielt in seiner Tätigkeit eine und Cole Porter noch lebten. Es ist ein La Scala in Mailand, Berliner Staatsoper, Januar 2005 am Sydney Opera House wichtige Rolle. So hat man ihn an der Wiener schöner Gedanke, dass Porter die Bayerischen Staatsoper und Pariser Opéra übernehmen wird. Außerdem ist er Staatsoper, der English National Opera, bei Originalfassung im Sinn gehabt haben könnte, sowie in Hamburg, Zürich, Washington und Assoziierter Gastdirigent des London den Festspielen von Spoleto in Italien (deren als er “Wunderbar”, eine der Erfolgsnummern Glyndebourne erlebt, und oft kehrt sie in ihre Symphony Orchestra, Musikdirektor der City musikalische Leitung er fünf Jahre lang aus Kiss me, Kate, schrieb. australische Heimat zurück, wo sie zahlreiche of London Sinfonia sowie ehemaliger wahrnahm) sowie in Sydney, Washington und Rollen gesungen hat. 1989 wurde sie für ihre künstlerischer Leiter und nunmehr Los Angeles erlebt. Er ist vom Queens’ College © 2003 Richard Lawrence Verdienste um die Musik mit dem Order of Emeritierter Dirigent der Northern Sinfonia; Cambridge zum Honorary Fellow gewählt, Übersetzung: Andreas Klatt Australia geehrt. für die Leitung des auf zeitgenössischen von der Universität Durham 2003 zum Zu den zahlreichen Aufnahmen Yvonne Instrumenten musizierenden Collegium Ehrendoktor der Musik ernannt und für Die aus Australien stammende Yvonne Kenny Kennys zählen Le nozze di Figaro, Musicum 90 ist er seit dessen Gründung 1990 seinen Beitrag zum britischen Musikleben zählt zu den renommiertesten Sopranistinnen Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Elgars mitverantwortlich. 2002 anläßlich der fünfzigsten Jahresfeier der ihrer Generation. Sie feierte ihr operistisches The Kingdom, The Beggar’s Opera und Seine Einspielung der Originalfassung der Krönung Elizabeth II. mit dem Verdienstorden Debut in London als Donizettis Rosmonda Gloriana von Britten, Händels Deborah, Zweiten Sinfonie von Vaughan Williams mit CBE (Commander of the Order of the British d’Inghilterra. Nachdem sie den Kathleen The Canterbury Pilgrims von Dyson (für dem London Symphony Orchestra erhielt Empire) ausgezeichnet worden. Ferrier Wettbewerb gewonnen hatte, kam sie Chandos), eine Auswahl aus Der Rosenkavalier 2001 als Schallplatte des Jahres und als beste Seine Schallplattenprojekte für Chandos – an die Royal Opera Covent Garden, wo sie und eine CD mit großen Opernarien (für Orchesteraufnahme zwei Gramophone Awards mehr als 150 Aufnahmen liegen aus dieser unter anderem die Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation); für und wurde auch mit einem Brit Award exklusiven Zusammenarbeit bereits vor – sehen Ilia (Idomeneo), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Opera Rara hat sie Donizettis Emilia di ausgezeichnet. Neben vielen anderen den Abschluss einer Gesamtaufnahme der Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù (Turandot), Liverpool, L’eremitaggio di Liverpool und Ugo, Anerkennungen erhielt Richard Hickox einen Britten-Opern mit der City of London Aspasia (Mitridate) und Donna Anna Conte di Parigi sowie Il crociato in Egitto von Grammy für Peter Grimes und drei weitere Sinfonia, die Fortsetzung seines vielbeachteten (Don Giovanni) gesungen hat. Meyerbeer aufgenommen. Gramophone Awards. Mit seinem breit Zyklus der Sinfonien von Vaughan Williams Internationalen Ruhm errang sie in den gefächerten Repertoire hat er alle namhaften mit dem London Symphony Orchestra, großen Händel-Rollen, vor allem Semele und Richard Hickox CBE gilt international als britischen Orchester dirigiert; er nimmt Gesamteinspielungen der Musik von Frank Alcina (Covent Garden und La Fenice, einer der angesehensten und vielseitigsten regelmäßig an Festivals wie Aldeburgh, Bath, Bridge und von Michael und Sir Lennox Venedig), Romilda (Xerxes) für die English Dirigenten Großbritanniens. Er wirkt Cheltenham und den BBC Proms teil und ist Berkeley mit dem BBC National Orchestra of National Opera und die Bayrische Staatsoper, gegenwärtig als Chefdirigent des BBC auch mit vielen berühmten Orchestern in Wales sowie Messen von Hummel und sowie Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) und Armida National Orchestra of Wales und ist kürzlich Europa, Japan und Nordamerika aufgetreten. Schubert mit dem Collegium Musicum 90 vor. (Rinaldo) in Sydney. Außerdem hat man sie an zum Musikdirektor der Opera Australia

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théâtre, a été interdit. Cependant, comme pour maîtresse l’une des chanteuses de la Grands airs d’opéra l’écrit un critique de l’époque, déformant distribution, que l’on appelle La Ferrarese. légèrement une phrase du Barber de Les deux jeunes gens quittent leur amie, se Les œuvres dramatiques de Haendel ont “Ah! Cruel man” (plage 1 ). Hautbois et Beaumarchais: “Aujourd’hui, ce qui ne peut prétendant appelés sur le champ de bataille, et connu une remarquable résurrection dans la basson soulignent avec éloquence sa passion. être dit, on le chante”, ce que fait le Figaro de reviennent déguisés en Albanais. La femme de seconde moitié du XXe siècle. On n’oubliera Lorenzo da Ponte, qui fait figure de libertin, Mozart, même si da Ponte édulcore certains chambre, qui a été soudoyée par Alfonso mais jamais le travail de pionniers effectué par la occupe le poste de poète du théâtre impérial à des éléments les plus subversifs. ne reconnaît pas les deux hommes, encourage Handel Opera Society, par le Kent Opera et Vienne. Limogé l’année de la mort de Mozart, La comtesse Almaviva et Susanna, sa femme ses maîtresses à considérer ces nouveaux par l’Unicorn Theatre d’Abingdon. Leur il se fait embaucher comme librettiste au de chambre, projettent de mettre fin aux soupirants avec faveur. La première à succèdent, dans les années 1980 et 1990, des nouveau King’s Theatre de Haymarket (le galanteries du comte en lui jouant un tour. succomber est Dorabella; Fiordiligi – rôle écrit productions scéniques des opéras et des théâtre que connaissait Haendel a brûlé Susanna a donné rendez-vous au comte dans le pour Adriana Ferrarese – est d’une étoffe plus oratorios à l’English National Opera, à Covent entretemps). Poursuivi par ses créanciers, il jardin le soir même; mais c’est la comtesse qui résistante, et dans son air: “He’s left me… Garden et à Glyndebourne, dont plusieurs s’enfuit aux États-Unis et s’y fait épicier, l’y attendra à sa place. Dans “How delightful Ah, forgive, my love” (plage 3 ), elle se avec Yvonne Kenny dans un des principaux libraire, et professeur de littérature italienne au ’tis to wander” (plage 2 ), Susanna écrit au reproche d’être tentée et implore le pardon de rôles. Columbia College, avant de mourir à New mari volage sous la dictée de la comtesse. Les son amant absent. Cette aria est remarquable Rinaldo, qui ouvre début 1711 par une York à l’âge de quatre-vingt-neuf ans. voix alternent puis se marient en tierces pour le rôle de premier plan qu’y jouent les quinzaine de représentations, est le premier The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) sensuelles, accompagnées d’un commentaire de cors: Beethoven désapprouvait la tonalité opéra italien à avoir été expressément écrit (1786) est le premier ouvrage auquel da Ponte hautbois et basson, comme dans Rinaldo. morale de l’opéra mais ne s’est pas fait prier pour la scène londonienne. Joué au Queen’s et Mozart collaborent, avant Don Giovanni et Così fan tutte (1790) signifie “Ainsi font pour emboîter le pas à Mozart en composant Theatre, Haymarket (plus ou moins à Così fan tutte. Il est basé sur une pièce de toutes les femmes” (da Ponte préférait le titre le grand monologue de Leonore dans Fidelio. l’emplacement de Her Majesty’s Theatre), il se Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais alternatif qui en français donne, plus Peu après, Fiordiligi jure de suivre les déroule à l’époque de la première croisade, faisant suite au Barber of Seville. Beaumarchais, élégamment, “L’École des amants”). Don officiers sur le champ de bataille et d’emmener s’achevant par la conquête de Jérusalem en personnage aussi haut en couleur que da Alfonso, vieux célibataire cynique, parie avec Dorabella avec elle. Elles revêtiront des 1099. Armida, magicienne et reine de Damas, Ponte, s’est attiré des ennuis à Paris en ses deux jeunes amis que, pourvu qu’ils uniformes de rechange de leurs amants. s’éprend d’un des chevaliers chrétiens, Rinaldo. décrivant des valets plus malins que leurs obéissent ses ordres à la lettre, il amènera (Mais que faisaient donc ces uniformes chez Elle revêt l’apparence de sa fiancée, mais ne maîtres aristocrates. Le Barber a été donné à chacune des deux fiancées à transférer ses les jeunes filles? se demandera-t-on.) parvient pas à le séduire. Après le départ Vienne dans la version musicale de Paisiello, affections à l’autre galant. La scène se passe à “By tomorrow we’ll be together” (plage 5 ), précipité du héros, elle oscille entre la qui restera au répertoire jusqu’à en être délogée Naples, mais les deux jeunes filles sont de chante-t-elle; mais Ferrando – dont elle supplication et la menace dans son air, par Rossini, mais Figaro, en tant que pièce de Ferrare: petite plaisanterie de da Ponte, qui a essayait précédemment de combattre l’attrait –

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l’entend, et les deux jeunes gens ne tardent pas livret, comme celui de tant d’autres opérettes carrière de compositeur d’opérettes avec drames plus graves de Richard Strauss, mais les à tomber dans les bras l’un de l’autre. Tout est viennoises, y compris le chef-d’œuvre de Tatárjárás (The Gay Hussars, devenu Autumn deux univers sont en fait étroitement résolu par le retour des deux hommes sous leur Strauss, La Chauve-Souris (Die Fledermaus), est Manœuvres – Manœuvres d’automne – à son apparentés. Dans Le Chevalier à la rose apparence primitive. Don Alfonso a gagné son tiré d’un original français. L’histoire se passe de arrivée à Londres), créé à Budapest. The Gypsy (Der Rosenkavalier), situé à Vienne au pari et les couples initiaux se reforment, fait à Paris, où le baron Mirko Zeta, envoyé Princess est suivie de bien d’autres succès, dont XVIIIe siècle, Strauss adopte le langage de son chacun des quatre fiancés désormais plus triste d’un petit État pauvre, le Pontevedro La Comtesse Mariza en 1924 et La Princesse homonyme (sans relation de parenté) et et plus sage. (comprenez, le Montenegro), se préoccupe du cirque deux ans plus tard. Une production produit une série de valses anachroniques mais “Le Mozart des Champs-Élysées”, disait d’éviter que l’immense fortune d’Hanna de L’Impératrice Joséphine, créée à Zurich en brillantes. Der Rosenkavalier est le premier Rossini d’Offenbach, dont les opérettes font Glawari, veuve depuis peu, soit perdue pour 1936, est prévue au Staatsoper de Vienne, avec livret écrit pour Strauss par le poète et fureur à Paris dans les années 1850–1860. son pays. Richard Tauber et Jarmila Novotná qui y a dramaturge viennois Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Leur égale popularité à Vienne conduit à la Il est donc essentiel qu’Hanna épouse un interprété le rôle-titre de la dernière œuvre de leur première colloboration datant de création de produits locaux par Suppé, citoyen du Pontevedro, et le choix du baron Lehár, Giuditta; mais l’arrivée des nazis oblige l’adaptation de sa pièce de théâtre Elektra. Millöcker et, surtout, Johann Strauss II. Dès la s’est porté sur le comte Danilo Danilowitsch, Kálmán à fuir aux États-Unis, via Paris et Leur dernière collaboration, c’est Arabella fin du siècle, leur étoile est sur le déclin, mais secrétaire de la légation pontévédrine. Danilo, Londres, et le spectacle n’a jamais lieu. (1933), mais Hofmannsthal n’en voit jamais l’opérette viennoise reçoit une piqûre de rappel ancien amoureux d’Hanna, feint de préférer la The Gypsy Princess raconte l’amour entre l’aboutissement: il meurt subitement en 1929, grâce à l’avènement de Franz Lehár et compagnie des petites femmes de chez Sylva Varescu et Edwin, fils du prince von und laissant les actes II et III à l’état de brouillons, d’Emmerich Kálmán. En un parallèle amusant Maxim’s; mais il finit par avouer son amour zu Lippert-Weylersheim. Le prince est et sans avoir pu lire le télégramme de avec Offenbach, qui n’avait rien de français, pour Hanna, et tout est bien qui finit bien. résolument opposé au mariage de son fils avec félicitations que lui avait adressé Strauss en aucun des deux compositeurs n’est né en “A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest glade” Sylva, vulgaire chanteuse de cabaret, mais finit recevant la version finale de l’acte I. Autriche, mais en Hongrie: Kálmán, de deux (plage 6 ) raconte l’histoire d’une dryade qui par céder lorsqu’il s’avère que sa propre femme, Arabella se déroule aussi à Vienne – dans les parents hongrois, et Lehár d’une mère abandonne un jeune homme après une nuit veuve et comtesse lorsqu’il l’a épousée, est elle- années 1860, cette fois – et Strauss y fait de hongroise. d’amour, et c’est l’air que chante Hanna lors même une ancienne chanteuse. Dans l’acte nouveau appel à la valse. L’opéra a souffert de De nombreuses œuvres tardives de Lehár, d’une garden-party donnée chez elle. central, qui se déroule au palais des Lippert- comparaisons à son désavantage avec le dont Le Tsarévitch et Le Pays du sourire, ont été Leo Stein, l’un des deux librettistes de Weylersheim, à Vienne, Edwin et Sylva se Chevalier; s’il lui manque l’attrait doux-amer écrites pour mettre en valeur le ténor Richard La Veuve joyeuse, collabore également à retrouvent chacun avec un autre partenaire. de son prédécesseur, il n’en est pas moins Tauber, et ont vu le jour à Berlin. Le plus The Gypsy Princess; l’œuvre voit le jour en “Where are they now?” (plage 7 ) est une valse précieux pour les pages sensuelles écrites par grand succès du compositeur date toutefois 1915, dix ans après The Merry Widow, et où ils évoquent leur bonheur passé. Strauss pour sa voix favorite: le soprano. Le d’avant l’ère Tauber et a été créé à Vienne en comme elle confie le principal rôle féminin à On pourrait penser qu’il y a loin de la comte Waldner, aristocrate désargenté, vit à 1905. Il s’agit de The Merry Widow, dont le Mizzi Günther. Kálmán a commencé sa légèreté clinquante de l’opérette viennoise aux l’hôtel avec sa femme et ses deux filles,

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Arabella et Zdenka. Comme il est trop musique sur un sujet ancien et complexe: où le jeune Caruso – qui “promet” – chante principaux interprètes masculins, Gene Kelly coûteux de lancer deux jeunes filles dans le l’importance relative de la musique et des alors dans Faust). La princesse Cristiane de et Oscar Levant. La pointe humoristique à monde, Zdenka est obligée de se déguiser en paroles dans un opéra. Loin d’une discussion Norvège n’est pas mariée: la Suède et le l’égard de Gershwin et de ses confrères garçon. En tant que tel, elle sert de aride, l’histoire prend son essor grâce à Danemark ont raflé tous les princes éligibles, compositeurs n’apparaît pas dans le film, peut- confident(e) à Matteo, jeune officier amoureux l’incarnation des deux arts en Flamand, et elle n’a rencontré personne dont elle puisse être parce que Irving Berlin et Cole Porter d’Arabella qui ne peut comprendre pourquoi compositeur, et Olivier, poète, tous deux épris tomber amoureuse. De plus, on l’a étaient encore vivants. Il serait plaisant de sa bien-aimée se montre si froide en sa de la Comtesse. surnommée la Reine des Neiges. Peut-être a-t- penser que Porter avait la version originale à présence alors qu’elle lui écrit des lettres Celle-ci promet de leur faire savoir, le elle le cœur froid, dit-elle, ou “peut-être est-il l’esprit lorsqu’il écrivit “Wunderbar”, l’un des enflammées. Ce qu’il ne sait pas, bien sûr, c’est lendemain à onze heures, qui des deux elle aura juste endormi”; elle chante alors: “Some day tubes de Kiss me, Kate. que c’est Zdenka, elle-même amoureuse de lui, choisi. Mais, dans la dernière scène my heart will awake” (plage 10 ). Elle épouse qui est l’auteur des fausses lettres. (plage 8 ), tandis qu’elle chante pour elle- ensuite Nikki, prince du royaume balkanique © 2003 Richard Lawrence Dans “He’s not the one who is right for me” même le sonnet écrit par Olivier et mis en de Murania autrefois en exil, aujourd’hui Traduction: Josée Bégaud (plage 4 ), Arabella explique ses sentiments à musique par Flamand, la question – amoureuse monté sur le trône, mais les événements Zdenka. Pour le passage commençant par: autant qu’esthétique – reste en suspens. Peut- politiques les séparent. Nikki abdique et s’exile Née en Australie, Yvonne Kenny est l’une des “The one who’s right for me”, Strauss adapte être la réponse est-elle donnée à l’orchestre, où de nouveau. La mélodie revient à la fin, plus remarquables sopranos de sa génération. un chant populaire des Slaves du Sud, premier un cor solo joue une introduction extatique lorsque leur enfant nouveau-né est couronné Elle fit ses débuts en opéra à Londres dans le des trois utilisés dans l’opéra et empruntés à mais a aussi le dernier mot. roi. rôle-titre de Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de un recueil du xixe siècle. Après la réponse de King’s Rhapsody, “romance musicale”, a été “Some day my heart will awake” est une Donizetti. Après avoir remporté la Kathleen Zdenka, la mélodie revient, la voix de la sœur monté pour la première fois en août 1949, valse; de même, bien sûr, que “By Strauss” Ferrier Competition, elle est entrée au Royal cadette s’élevant cette fois au-dessus en un quinze jours avant la mort de Strauss. C’est (plage 9 ), écrit par les frères Gershwin pour Opera de Covent Garden où elle a chanté magnifique contrechant. l’une des dernières comédies musicales d’Ivor une revue de Broadway aux multiples auteurs, les rôles de Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Ilia Arabella finira dans les bras de “l’homme Novello, avec un texte de Christopher Hassall, The Show Is On, lancée en décembre 1936. (Idomeneo), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), qu’il lui faut”: Mandryka, propriétaire terrien dont la plus connue est probablement Sa renommée date cependant de bien après la Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù (Turandot), croate. Le destin de la Comtesse, dans The Dancing Years. Novello jouait le principal mort de George Gershwin, puisqu’elle a été Aspasia (Mitridate) et Donna Anna (Don Capriccio (1942), est beaucoup moins certain rôle masculin dans ses comédies musicales, et reprise dans Un Américain à Paris. Sorti en Giovanni). puisqu’elle “est amoureuse et ne sait pas de participait d’ailleurs à King’s Rhapsody au octobre 1951, le film a marqué les débuts à Yvonne Kenny a conquis une réputation qui”, comme le rapportent ses serviteurs. Le moment de sa mort. l’écran de Leslie Caron, mais ce n’est pas elle internationale dans les grands rôles de dernier opéra de Strauss, créé à Munich L’histoire se passe dans deux royaumes qui y chante cette parodie affectueuse, confiée Haendel, notamment Semele et Alcina (à pendant la guerre, est une conversation en imaginaires (avec une scène à l’Opéra de Paris, à Georges Guetary et aux deux autres Covent Garden et à La Fenice de Venise),

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Romilda (Xerxes) à l’English National Opera et Grande-Bretagne, Richard Hickox CBE, compte pour une grande part dans sa carrière Il enregistre en exclusivité pour Chandos, à l’Opéra d’Etat de Bavière, Cleopatra (Giulio actuellement chef principal du BBC National et il a été invité à diriger à l’Opéra d’état de a déjà fait plus de cent cinquante disques Cesare) et Armida (Rinaldo) à Sydney. Elle a Orchestra of Wales, prendra ses fonctions de Vienne, à l’English National Opera, au Festival pour cette maison et a plusieurs projets à également chanté à l’Opéra de San Francisco, à directeur musical d’Opera Australia, basé à de Spolète en Italie (dont il fut cinq ans long terme: il doit achever la série d’opéras l’Opéra d’Etat de Vienne, à La Scala de Milan, l’Opéra de Sydney, à partir de janvier 2005. directeur musical) ainsi qu’à Sydney, de Britten avec le City of London Sinfonia, à l’Opéra d’Etat de Berlin, au Bayerische Il est entre autres chef invité associé du Washington et Los Angeles. Il a été élu poursuivre son cycle très réussi des Staatsoper de Munich, à l’Opéra de Paris, à London Symphony Orchestra, directeur professeur honoraire du Queens’ College à symphonies de Vaughan Williams avec Hambourg, Zurich, Washington et musical du City of London Sinfonia, ancien Cambridge, a reçu un doctorat de musique le London Symphony Orchestra, terminer Glyndebourne. Elle elle se rend fréquemment directeur artistique et aujourd’hui chef de l’Université de Durham en 2003 et, en des cycles intégraux de musique de dans son pays natal, l’Australie, où elle a honoraire du Northern Sinfonia ainsi que 2002, à l’occasion du cinquantième jubilé de Frank Bridge ainsi que de Michael et chanté de nombreux rôles. En 1989, elle a co-directeur de l’ensemble d’instruments la reine, s’est vu conférer le titre de CBE Sir Lennox Berkeley avec le BBC National reçu le titre de Member of the Order of d’époque Collegium Musicum 90 depuis sa (Commander of the Order of the British Orchestra of Wales et enregistrer des Messes Australia for Services to Music. fondation en 1990. Empire) pour sa contribution à la musique de Hummel et Schubert avec Collegium Les nombreux enregistrements d’Yvonne Lauréat du Gramophone Record of the Year et britannique. Musicum 90. Kenny incluent Le nozze di Figaro, du meilleur disque orchestral de 2001 (ainsi Die Entführung aus dem Serail, The Kingdon que d’un Brit Award ) pour son enregistrement d’Elgar, The Beggar’s Opera et Gloriana de avec le London Symphony Orchestra de la Britten, Deborah de Haendel, The Canterbury Symphonie no 2 de Vaughan Williams dans la Pilgrims de Dyson (pour Chandos), des version originale, il s’est vu attribuer de extraits de Der Rosenkavalier, et un album de nombreux autres prix, dont un Grammy pour la série Great Operatic Arias (pour Chandos Peter Grimes et trois autres Gramophone et la Peter Moores Foundation), et pour la Awards. Adepte d’un vaste répertoire, il a série Opera Rara, Emilia di Liverpool, régulièrement dirigé les principaux orchestres L’eremitaggio di Liverpool et Ugo, Conte di du Royaume-Uni et a participé à de nombreux Parigi de Donizetti, et Il crociato in Egitto festivals, tels ceux d’Aldeburgh, de Bath, de Meyerbeer. Cheltenham ainsi qu’aux Proms de la BBC; sur la scène internationale, il a dirigé bon Réputé dans le monde entier comme l’un des nombre des plus grands orchestres en Europe, chefs les plus estimés et les plus talentueux de au Japon et en Amérique du Nord. L’opéra

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Figaro fu messo al bando. Tuttavia, come scrisse pagata da Alfonso ma non riconosce i due, Grandi arie operistiche un recensore dell’epoca, citando incoraggia le padrone ad essere compiacenti impropriamente il Barbiere di Beaumarchais, con i nuovi spasimanti. La prima a cedere è La seconda metà del Ventesimo secolo ha visto (traccia 1 ). L’oboe e il fagotto sottolineano “ciò che non si può dire oggi si canta”. Il Figaro Dorabella; Fiordiligi, (la parte scritta per La un notevole revival delle opere drammatiche di eloquentemente i suoi sentimenti. di Mozart fu realizzato, anche se da Ponte Ferrarese), è meno malleabile, e in “He’s left Handel, grazie in particolare all’impegno Lorenzo da Ponte, personalità avventurosa e addolcì alcuni degli elementi più sovversivi. me… Ah, forgive, my love” (“Per pietà, ben pionieristica della Handel Opera Society, della libertina, fu poeta dei teatri di corte di Vienna, La contessa Almaviva e la sua cameriera mio, perdona”) (traccia 3 ) si rimprovera Kent Opera, e dell’Unicorn Theatre di che abbandonò nell’anno della morte di Susanna pensano di mettere fine alle perché si sente tentata e supplica il perdono Abingdon. Negli ultimi vent’anni a questa Mozart. Successivamente venne assunto presso scappatelle sentimentali del Conte con uno dell’innamorato assente. L’aria è notevole per attività hanno fatto riscontro diverse il nuovo King’s Theatre di Haymarket (il stratagemma. Almaviva deve incontrare la parte di rilievo interpretata dal corno. rappresentazioni di opere e oratori allestiti teatro noto a Handel era stato distrutto da un Susanna in giardino quella sera; ma Beethoven biasimò il tono moralistico presso la English National Opera, il Covent incendio). Per sfuggire ai creditori fu costretto all’appuntamento si reca invece sua moglie. dell’opera, ma finì per imitarlo nel grande Garden e Glyndebourne, spesso con la a trasferirsi negli Stati Uniti dove fece il In “How delightful ’tis to wander” (“Che soave soliloquio composto per Leonora nel Fidelio. partecipazione di Yvonne Kenny. droghiere, il libraio e il professore di zeffiretto”) (traccia 2 ), Susanna scrive al Poco dopo Fiordiligi giura di travestirsi da Rinaldo fu la prima opera italiana che letteratura italiana presso il Columbia College. marito adultero su dettatura della contessa. ufficiale per seguire il promesso sposo sul campo Handel compose espressamente per il teatro Morì a New York all’età di ottantanove anni. Le voci si alternano e quindi si accoppiano in di battaglia. Vuole condurre con sé Dorabella e londinese: la prima si svolse presso il Queen’s The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro, sensuali terze; come nel Rinaldo, il commento pregusta l’incontro “By tomorrow we’ll be Theatre di Haymarket (oggi sostituito da Her 1786) fu la prima delle collaborazioni tra da viene fornito dall’oboe e dal fagotto. together” (“Fra gli amplessi in pochi istanti”) Majesty’s Theatre) all’inizio del 1711 e fu Ponte e Mozart, insieme con Don Giovanni e In Così fan tutte (1790), don Alfonso, (traccia 5 ), ma per caso la sente Ferrando. seguita da quindici repliche. La vicenda è Così fan tutte. Si ispira al dramma di Pierre- scapolo cinico e incallito, scommette con due I precedenti tentativi di resistere alle sue lusinghe ambientata all’epoca della prima Crociata, che Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, concepito giovani amici che riuscirà a convincere le loro sono vani e ben presto i due cadono l’una nelle culminò con la conquista di Gerusalemme nel come seguito del Barbiere di Siviglia. fidanzate a tradirli. L’opera è ambientata a braccia dell’altro. Tutto si risolve quando gli 1099. La maga Armida, regina di Damasco, Beaumarchais, personaggio originale quanto Napoli, ma le donne sono di Ferrara e non si uomini rientrano nei propri panni. Don Alfonso innamorata del cavaliere cristiano Rinaldo, Ponte, aveva suscitato controversie a Parigi tratta di una coincidenza: una delle cantanti, ha vinto la scommessa e si riallacciano i legami prende le forme della sua fidanzata, ma non perché le sue opere vedevano il trionfo delle soprannominata La Ferrarese, era amante di come prima, ma i quattro giovani sono maturati riesce a sedurlo. Rinaldo parte all’improvviso, classi inferiori sull’aristocrazia. Il Barbiere da Ponte. e hanno imparato la lezione. lasciando la donna ad esprimere uno stato musicato da Paisiello fu rappresentato Vienna e Fingendo di essere stati richiamati al fronte i “Il Mozart degli Champs-Elysées”: così d’animo in cui si alternano le suppliche e le rimase in repertorio finché non venne eclissato due giovani lasciano le fidanzate e ritornano Rossini definì Offenbach, le cui operette fecero minacce in “Ah! Cruel Man” (“Ah! Crudel”) dalla versione di Rossini, ma il dramma teatrale travestiti da albanesi. La cameriera, che è stata furore a Parigi nei decenni del 1850 e 1860. Il

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loro successo raggiunse anche Vienna, e questo È indispensabile, quindi, che Hanna sposi Londra negli USA e lo spettacolo non si svolse Arabella (1933) fu l’ultima, ma Hofmannsthal portò alla creazione di prodotti nazionali un pontevedrino, e il candidato del barone è il mai. non vide mai il risultato: morì all’improvviso firmati da Suppé, Millöcker e, soprattutto, conte Danilo Danilowitsch, attaché The Gypsy Princess è la storia dell’amore tra nel 1929, lasciando stesure preliminari del Johann Strauss figlio. Alla fine del secolo la dell’ambasciata. Danilo, innamorato in passato Sylva Varescu ed Evino, figlio del principe di secondo e terzo atto e senza aver letto il loro fortuna cominciava ad esaurisrsi, ma di Hanna, finge di preferire la compagnia delle Lippert-Weylersheim. Il principe è telegramma di congratulazioni che Strauss gli l’operetta viennese ebbe una salutare ragazze di Maxim; ma alla fine confessa il risolutamente contrario all’unione di suo figlio aveva inviato dopo aver ricevuto la versione trasfusione grazie all’avvento di Franz Lehár e proprio amore per Hanna, e tutto finisce bene. con Sylva, una semplice cantante, ma finale del primo atto. Emmerich Kálmán. Come Offenbach, che Il brano “A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest finalmente si convince quando si vene a sapere Anche la vicenda di Arabella si svolge a non era di nazionalità francese, i due glade” (traccia 6 ), storia di una ninfa che che anche sua moglie, contessa vedova Vienna – questa volta nel decennio del 1860 – compositori non erano austriaci, ma ungheresi: abbandona un giovane dopo una notte all’epoca delle nozze, era stata in passato e anche in questo caso Strauss utilizza il valzer. Kálmán era figlio di ungheresi, la madre di d’amore, è cantato da Hanna a una festa nel cantante. Nel secondo atto, che si svolge nel L’opera ha risentito negativamente del Lehár era ungherese. giardino della sua casa. palazzo Lippert-Weylersheim di Vienna, confronto con Der Rosenkavalier, ma è Molte delle opere della maturità di Lehár, Leo Stein, uno dei due librettisti della Edvino e Sylva hanno ciascuno un partner comunque preziosa per la sensualità dei brani tra cui Der Zarewitsch e Das Land des Lächelns, Vedova allegra, ripetè l’impresa con The Gypsy diverso. “Where are they now?” (traccia 7 ) che Strauss compose per la sua voce preferita, furono composte per il tenore Richard Tauber Princess, la cui prima si svolse nel 1915, dieci è un valzer in cui ricordano la loro felicità quella del soprano. Un nobile impoverito, il e rappresentate per la prima volta a Berlino. anni dopo The Merry Widow, e fu interpretata passata. conte Waldner, vive con la moglie e due figlie, Il maggior successo del compositore, però, è dalla stessa protagonista, Mizzi Günther. La Il passaggio alle composizioni più serie di Arabella e Zdenka, in un albergo. Per precedente e la sua prima si svolse a Vienna carriera operettistica di Kálmán era iniziata Richard Strauss può sembrare molto lontano risparmiare le spese di presentazione in società nel 1905. Si tratta di The Merry Widow con Manovre d’autunno, che ebbe la sua prima dall’operetta viennese, brillante e spumeggiante, di ambedue le due figlie, Zdenka è costretta a (Die lustige Witwe), la cui storia, come quella a Budapest. Alla Gypsy Princess seguirono molti ma in realtà i due mondi sono strettamente travestirsi da uomo e diventa confidente di di molte operette viennesi, compreso il altri successi, tra cui La contessa Maritza nel connessi. In Der Rosenkavalier, ambientato nella Matteo, un giovane ufficiale innamorato di capolavoro di Strauss, Die Fledermaus, è 1924 e La principessa del circo due anni dopo. Vienna del settecento, Strauss adottò la lingua Arabella. L’ufficiale non riesce a spiegarsi la ispirata a un originale francese. La vicenda All’Opera di Vienna era previsto un del proprio omonimo (ma non parente), strana freddezza della donna, che gli scrive però infatti si svolge a Parigi, dove il barone allestimento dell’Imperatrice Giuseppina, producendo una serie di valzer anacronistici ma lettere appassionate. Naturalmente le lettere Mirko Zeta, ambasciatore del piccolo e eseguita per la prima volta a Zurigo nel 1936, brillanti. Der Rosenkavalier fu il primo libretto sono contraffatte da Zdenka, innamorata di lui. impoverito stato del Pontevedro con Richard Tauber e Jarmila Novotná, che firmato dal poeta e drammaturgo viennese In “He’s not the one who is right for me” (Montenegro), è ansioso di impedire la fuga nello stesso teatro aveva interpretato l’ultima Hugo von Hofmannsthal per Strauss, ma la (traccia 4 ), Arabella spiega i suoi sentimenti a dell’enorme capitale della giovane vedova opera di Lehár, Giuditta; ma all’arrivo dei loro prima effettiva collaborazione era stata Zdenka. Per il brano Strauss adatta un motivo Hanna Glawari. nazisti, Kálmán fuggì passando per Parigi e l’adattamento del dramma teatrale Elektra. folcloristico slavo del sud che compare

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nell’opera con altri due trovati dal compositore nell’agosto del 1949, quindici giorni prima rivista di Broadway realizzato da molti autori Ilia (Idomeneo), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), in una raccolta ottocentesca. Dopo la risposta della morte di Strauss. Fu uno degli ultimi diversi, che aprì nel dicembre del 1936. La sua Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù (Turandot), Aspasia di Zdenka il motivo ritorna, questa volta con drammi in musica di Ivor Novello, con parole fama è però legata al periodo successivo alla (Mitridate) e Donna Anna (Don Giovanni). la splendida partecipazione della sorella minore di Christopher Hassall, il più famoso dei quali morte di George Gershwin, quando fu incluso Si è conquistata una reputazione nella parte superiore. è probabilmente The Dancing Years. Novello fu in Un Americano a Parigi. Il film, che uscì internazionale per i grandi ruoli del repertorio Arabella finirà per sposare l’uomo giusto: protagonista maschile dei suoi drammi nell’ottobre 1951, segnava l’esordio sullo handeliano, soprattutto Semele e Alcina Mandryka, un proprietario terriero della musicali e anche di King’s Rhapsody. schermo di Leslie Caron, ma non fu l’attrice a (Covent Garden e La Fenice) Romilda (Xerxes) Croazia. Il destino della contessa in Capriccio La trama si svolge in due regni immaginari cantare quest’affettuosa parodia, che venne per English National Opera l’Opera nazionale (1942) è molto più incerto dal momento che, (con una scena all’Opéra di Parigi, dove il affidata a Georges Guetary e agli altri della Baviera, Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) e come dice la sua cameriera, la donna “è giovane Caruso, allora solo una promessa, personaggi maschili, Gene Kelly e Oscar Armida (Rinaldo) a Sydney. Ha cantato anche innamorata e non sa di chi”. L’ultima opera di canta nel Faust). La principessa Cristiane di Levant. Nel film non compare il divertente all’Opera di San Francisco, all’Opera di Strauss, la cui prima si svolse a Monaco Norseland è nubile: la Svezia e la Danimarca si riferimento a Gershwin e ai suoi colleghi Vienna, alla Scala di Milano, alla Berlin durante la guerra, è una conversazione su un sono accaparrate tutti i principi e la giovane compositori, forse perché Irving Berlin e Cole Staatsoper, l’Opera di Monaco, l’Opéra di argomento antico e complesso, l’importanza non conosce nessuno di cui potrebbe Porter erano ancora in vita. Sarebbe bello Parigi e poi ad Amburgo, Zurigo, Washington della musica e delle parole nell’opera. Ma non innamorarsi. Per di più, è stata pensare che Porter avesse in mente la versione e Glyndebourne. Spesso fa ritorno nel suo si tratta di un dibattito arido, in quanto viene soprannominata la principessa delle Nevi. originale quando compose “Wunderbar”, uno paese d’origine, l’Australia, dove ha affidato ai due innamorati della contessa: un Ma il suo cuore potrebbe essere “solo dei brani di successo di Kiss me, Kate. interpretato numerosi ruoli. Nel 1989 è stata compositore, Flamand, e un poeta, Olivier. addormentato”: questo è l’avvio di “Some day nominata Member of the Order of Australia La donna promette di rivelare la propria my heart will awake” (traccia 10 ). La © 2003 Richard Lawrence for Services to Music. decisione alle undici del giorno successivo. Ma principessa poi sposa Nikki, principe del regno Traduzione: Emanuella Guastella La ricca discografia di Yvonne Kenny nell’ultima scena (traccia 8 ), mentre canta a di Murania sui Balcani, prima esiliato e poi comprende Le nozze di Figaro, Die Entführung se stessa il sonetto scritto da Olivier e salito al trono, ma alcuni avvenimenti politici Yvonne Kenny è nata in Australia ed è uno dei aus dem Serail, The Kingdom di Elgar, accompagnato dalla musica di Flamand, la li separano. Nikki abdica e torna in esilio. La più illustri soprani della sua generazione. The Beggar’s Opera e Gloriana di Britten, questione amorosa, oltre che estetica, rimane canzone ritorna alla fine, quando il loro Esordiva in opera a Londra nel ruolo della Deborah di Handel, The Canterbury Pilgrims di in sospeso. Forse la risposta sta nell’orchestra, bambino viene incoronato re. protagonista in Rosmonda d’Inghilterra di Dyson (per Chandos), momenti salienti dal dove il corno solista esegue una stupenda “Some day my heart will awake” è un valzer, Donizetti. Dopo la vittoria al concorso Rosenkavalier e un disco di Great Operatic introduzione e ha l’ultima parola. come “By Strauss” (traccia 9 ), naturalmente. intitolato al nome di Kathleen Ferrier è entrata Arias (Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation), e King’s Rhapsody, definito “musical Quest’ultimo brano fu composto dai fratelli a far parte della , Covent per Opera Rara Emilia di Liverpool, romance”, fu rappresentato per la prima volta Gershwin per The Show Is On, spettacolo di Garden, dove è stata Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), L’eremitaggio di Liverpool e Ugo, Conte di

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Parigi di Donizetti, e Il crociato in Egitto di Unito ed è intervenuto ai festival di Meyerbeer. Aldeburgh, Bath, Cheltenham e ai Prom della BBC; a livello internazionale ha diretto molte Considerato uno dei direttori d’orchestra più importanti orchestre in Europa, Giappone e rispettati e versatili a livello internazionale, America del nord. La direzione delle orchestre Richard Hickox, attuale direttore stabile della teatrali rappresenta una gran parte delle sue Barda/ArenaPALClive BBC National Orchestra of Wales, è stato attività e Richard Hickox è stato ospite nominato di recente Direttore musicale di dell’Opera di Vienna, dell’English National Opera Australia, l’orchestra della Sydney Opera Opera, del Festival di Spoleto (per cui è stato House, a partire dal gennaio 2005. Inoltre è direttore musicale per 5 anni), e dei teatri lirici direttore associato ospite della London di Sydney, Washington e Los Angeles. È stato Symphony Orchestra, direttore musicale della eletto Honorary Fellow del Queens’ College di City of London Sinfonia, ex Direttore artistico Cambridge, ha ricevuto un Dottorato in e oggi Conductor Emeritus della Northern musica presso l’università di Durham nel 2003 Sinfonia e co-direttore dell’organico di ed è stato insignito del CBE, un’onorificenza strumenti d’epoca Collegium Musicum 90 fin reale, nel 2002 per il suo contributo alla dalla sua formazione nel 1990. musica britannica. Vincitore del Gramophone Record of the La sua associazione esclusiva con Chandos, Year e del migliore disco di musica orchestrale con una discografia che riunisce già 150 titoli, del 2001 con la registrazione della sinfonia continuerà con il completamento della n. 2 di Vaughan Williams con la London versione integrale delle opere di Britten con la Symphony Orchestra nella versione originale City of London Sinfonia, il proseguimento (a cui è stato assegnato anche un Brit Award), dell’apprezzato ciclo di sinfonie di Vaughan Richard Hickox ha al suo attivo numerosi Williams con la London Symphony Orchestra, riconoscimenti, tra cui un Grammy per Peter l’opera integrale di Frank Bridge e Michael e Grimes e altri tre premi Gramophone. Lennox Berkeley con la BBC National Yvonne Kenny as Aspasia Impegnato in un vasto repertorio, ha diretto Orchestra of Wales, e le messe di Hummel e in The Royal Opera’s regolarmente le principali orchestre del Regno Schubert con il Collegium Musicum 90. production of Mozart’s Mitridate

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Session photo: Sir Peter Moores and Rebecca Evans Yvonne Kenny in the title role of Opera Australia’s production of Handel’s Alcina

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from Rinaldo Susanna Susanna Ah, I am guilty: you were right to condemn me, Armida’s Aria I? Write to him? Oh, my lady! Yes, the rest he’ll understand. O righteous love! I’m burning, and yet this burning is not kindled by a noble emotion: it’s Countess Countess Armida madness, confusion, self-doubting and 1 Write what I tell you, I take the whole Let me see what you’ve written Ah! Cruel man, remorseful, superficial, dishonest, wicked responsibility. Have you ev’rything ready? my bitter weeping Susanna betrayal! must find pity in your soul! Duet ‘How delightful ’tis to wander…’ (Be kind, cruel man, my tears must find pity in Susanna (writing) Countess Rondo your soul!) I’m ready. ‘By the breath of evening fann’d…’ Ah, forgive, my love, forgive me, Or if you disdain my pleading, my poor heart is torn with sorrow: I will strike the crueller blow (Ah!). Countess (dictating) Susanna in this garden, in deepest shadow, G. Rossi, based on a scenario by A. Hill after Tasso, ‘How delightful ’tis to wander.’ ‘Where the scented pines are closest…’ let me bury, O God, my shame. translation by Amanda Holden Susanna Countess I must kill these sinful wishes ‘’Tis to wander…’ And the rest he’ll understand. by my faith and my devotion, from The Marriage of Figaro I’ll deny the sweet temptation Susanna and Countess Letter Duet Countess whence my guilty betrayal came. ‘By the breath of evening fann’d.’ Yes, the rest he’ll understand. Countess Da Ponte after Beaumarchais, Ah, forgive, my love, forgive me, 2 Well, did you tell him? What was his Lordship’s Susanna translation by E.J. Dent, my poor heart is torn with sorrow: answer? ‘By the breath of evening fann’d.’ reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press in this garden, in deepest shadow, let me bury, O God, my shame. Countess Susanna from Così fan tutte How, my dear, could I forget you? ‘Where the scented pines are closest…’ Oh, there was no mistaking that my Lord’s very Fiordiligi’s Recitative and Rondo What have I to give you now? angry. This is all the prize I bring you, Susanna Fiordiligi Countess Where the what, ma’am? faithless heart and broken vow. Well done! It will be easier now to catch him. Recitative Now, my dear, my love, forgive me, And where did you invite him to look for you Countess 3 He’s left me… Listen… Ah, no! It is much for my heart is torn with sorrow. this evening? ‘Where the scented pines are closest.’ better to send away temptation, he is unworthy I must kill these sinful wishes and my longings are shameful. And to what by my faith and my devotion, Susanna Susanna torment this cruel man has lead me… Yet I I’ll deny the sweet temptation In the garden. ‘Where the scented pines are closest.’ deserve it for my sinful behaviour… At such a whence my first betrayal came. Countess Countess moment had I the right to listen to a new lover’s Da Ponte, translation by Anne Ridler, We’ll make it clearer. Write to him. And the rest he’ll understand. plea? And treat so lightly my beloved’s devotion? © Anne Ridler Estate

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from Arabella and I will give you all my help. in disguise then, I’ll run to find him, Ferrando For that is what the fortune teller said, in his loving arms I’ll stay. I beg you, hear me. Arabella and Zdenka’s Duet ‘She bathed in light and I in utter darkness’. Oh, how happy he’ll be to see me, Fiordiligi Arabella Arabella (aside) we’ll be safe when we’re together! 4 He’s not the one who is right for me. Pity’s sake, what are you asking? The one who’s right for me, Ferrando I really mean it. I only tell you what is true! if there is one for me in all this world, By your cruelty, by your desertion, Ferrando It’s really not my fault, that’s how I am. he will stand before me, there he’ll be, you have sentenced me to die. Your heart or I die before you. A man may soon mean much to me, his eyes upon me, mine on him, but suddenly he means no longer anything. and no more doubting will remain and no more Fiordiligi (He takes her hand and kisses it.) It happens right in here and soon, I don’t know asking, Do not taunt me… Fiordiligi how, and happy, happy I shall be and obedient like a You’ve betrayed me! I am weak, do not confuse me, something begins to ask, and I do not know child. Go, please leave me! what the answer is. cruel gods who so abuse me, gods, advise me. Ferrando I try by day and night and quite without Zdenka (aside) Ah, no, my dearest, my will She is so lovely and so sweet. Ferrando you must take your sword and kill me, my heart begins to turn; I’ll go away and still in parting I will bless you, Yield, my dearest, yield, my dearest… for I have no life without you; it turns away from him, yes, I will bless you dearest sister. Turn to me your lovely eyes, if your strength, O God, should falter there’s nothing I can do. ‘Aber der Richtige’ from Arabella, Op. 79 here your heart shall find all desire, by Strauss/Hofmannsthal. I will guide your hand with mine. husband and lover, and more if you desire, The one who’s right for me English translation by John Gutman. Fiordiligi ah, my love, do not delay. © Copyright 1942 by Richard Strauss. US copyright renewed. if there is one for me in all this world, Never… Alas… Sole agents for the world except , Italy, Portugal Fiordiligi he will stand before me, there he’ll be, Do not torment a heart that’s desolate and broken! his eyes on me, mine on him, and the former territories of the USSR (excluding Ah, dear God, I am lost, defeated… and no more doubting will remain Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania): Ferrando Do with me as you desire. Hawkes & Son (London), a Boosey & Hawkes company and no more asking, and happy, Ah, her will begins to weaken, so happy I shall be and obey him like a child. I perceive from her sad glances Fiordiligi and Ferrando her defences soon must fail. I must hold you, ah, my beloved; Zdenka (looking at her lovingly) from Così fan tutte such sweet comfort after sorrow I do not know your heart, Fiordiligi offers joys and soft affection, Fiordiligi and Ferrando’s Duet you may be right or wrong, Ah, my will begins to weaken, whispers pleasure and delight, sweet delight. but I am too fond of you to know! Fiordiligi through his words and his fond glances Da Ponte, translation by Anne Ridler, I want you to be happy 5 By tomorrow we’ll be together. my defences soon must fail. © Anne Ridler Estate with someone who is good I shall find my faithful lover; Leave me, leave me…

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from The Merry Widow Vilia, Oh Vilia, be tender and true, Sylva and Edwin Sylva and Edwin Vilia Song Love me and I’ll die for you! But happiness and love’s enchantment And yet of such a tender passion Chorus are gone for ever and a day. the memory alone is left Anna Vilia, Oh Vilia, O nymph of delight, 6 A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest glade Sylva Sylva haunting the woodland, enchanting the night. had fallen asleep in the deep leafy shade. Like fading phantom figures Two wounded hearts of all their cherished A youth wander’d near to the place where she lay, Anna they are out of reach. dreams bereft, ever bereft. her beauty entranc’d him, he’d not look away. Vilia, Oh Vilia, be tender, be true, So far away. Suddenly the nymph awoke, love me, and I’ll die for you. Sylva Edwin and music fill’d the air above, Where are they now, Chorus Where are they now? how he sighed, swearing eternal love, words so devotedly spoken? I’ll die for you. Words so devotedly spoken? Gone like a dream, Vilia, Oh Vilia, O nymph of delight, Léon and Stein after H. Meilhac, Gone like a dream, gone with the dawning of day. haunting the woodland, enchanting the night. English version by Christopher Hassall, gone with the dawning of day. reprinted by permission of Josef Weinberger Ltd Where are they now, Vilia, Oh Vilia, be tender and true, Where are they now, vows which could never be broken? Love me and I’ll die for you! vows which could never be broken? from The Gypsy Princess Where are they now? Sylva and Edwin Chorus Where are the love and the hope? Where are they now? Vilia, Oh Vilia, O nymph of delight, Sylva and Edwin’s Duet Where are they now? Where are the love and the hope? haunting the woodland, enchanting the night. Sylva Promises which none could sever, Where are they now? 7 Anna Festive laughter, celebration, now so soon they’re gone forever, Sylva Vilia, Oh Vilia, be tender, be true, friends around me, jubilation, and a husband’s at your side. Just a fairytale romance, love me, and I’ll die for you. Music playing, lights ablaze! how confusing, Edwin Sylva She then wove a spell with a wave of her hand, Other eyes so sweetly smiling, just a momentary fling, transporting him into a strange fairy land. Glasses clinking, waiters beaming, how amusing! dancers whirling, jewels gleaming. soft embraces, words beguiling, No mortal e’er knew such enchanting delight, Edwin and his lovely bride! Just a comic episode, entwin’d in her arms for one magical night. Ev’rything’s a golden haze! simply splendid, Suddenly at dawn of day Sylva Edwin so let’s laugh now it has ended! she vanished far away, All of us were touched by magic, How could you destroy that magic, La, la, la, la, la, la, la, hill and vale echo with his mournful tale. a dream to cherish and adore. destroy our own enchanted spell? simply splendid, Vilia, Oh Vilia, O nymph of delight, Such memories as these stay with us all our lives, The love I felt for you no words could ever tell, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, haunting the woodland, enchanting the night. yes, for evermore. none could ever tell. now it’s ended.

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Sylva and Edwin Major-Domo can with your love such perfect bliss impart. Ah, you are loved, yet could not surrender. Just a fairytale romance, Monsieur Olivier desires to pay a visit after Your eyes delight and keenest pain bestow, Oh, but it was sweet not to choose! unenduring. breakfast tomorrow, to ask my Lady about the indeed one glance might plunge me deep in You tried to make a treaty with passion, Now it’s over. ending of the opera. sorrow, and now you are on fire and cannot find refuge! One to be chosen, so losing the other. Dead and gone! Countess another give delight and hope tomorrow, Are we not the losers, whenever we gain? Where are they now? The opera’s ending? When will he be here? two glances then bring life or mortal blow.’ Where are the love and the laughter? (interrupting herself ) (looking in the mirror again) Oh, where are they now? Major-Domo In vain do I try to keep them apart, A gaze that’s ironic looks back at me! L. Stein and B. Jenbach, He says he will wait in the library. for words and music are blended together I look for your answer, and not for the question translation by Opera Australia, Countess to form a single creation. in your eyes! reprinted by permission of Josef Weinberger Ltd In the library? When? Mysterious moment, one art by the other Still mute? Why Madeleine! redeemed! Are you between two fires now burning? from Capriccio Major-Domo (She reaches again for the harp, and sings the (She takes a step nearer the mirror.) At eleven o’clock. sonnet through to the end.) Dear looking glass, I see lovelorn Madeleine, Closing Scene Countess ‘Were yet my life prolonged beyond all measure, ah, please advise me, Countess At eleven o’clock. no other being’s favour would I treasure, ah, can you help me to find the answer, 8 Where is my brother? Since writing the sonnet, no other passion could my heart embrace. the end for our opera? My veins would need new blood were it to Can I find one that is not trivial? Major-Domo it is their fate to be bound together. flower, The Count took Mademoiselle Clairon back to Flamand will be quite disappointed (The Major-Domo enters and stays by the door.) you fill my heart completely, yours this power, Paris, my Lady. He asked me to give you his when he finds dear Olivier there instead of me new love could never find a hold or place.’ apologies. tomorrow. Major-Domo And I? The opera’s ending, My Lady, your supper is served. Countess (smiling) am I to tell them the final decision How their love is rising to meet me, (The Countess smiles and looks in the mirror, gives Then I shall dine alone this evening. (to herself ) whether the verses move my heart more deeply, gently woven of verses and music. herself a small wave and curtseys.) What an enviable disposition. His fancies whether it is the music that has more power? How can I tear this delicate fabric? Schlusszene from Capriccio, Op. 85 by Strauss/Krauss. fleeting. How did he express it? ‘Calmly (The Countess takes the manuscript of the sonnet in Am I myself not part of its texture? To make a decision for the noble spirit with the English translation by Maria Massey Pelikan. deciding, lightly possessing, momentary joy, life’s her hand, sits at the harp and, accompanying © Copyright 1942 by Richard Strauss. US copyright renewed. loving glances, greatest treasure.’ herself, begins to sing.) Sole agents for the world except Germany, Italy, Portugal (She sighs.) ‘No other, whose beauty inflames my heart, for Olivier the ardent soul, the ever impassioned and the former territories of the USSR (excluding Ah, how simple! no loved one, none by whom my dreams are man? Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania): (To the Major-Domo, who has remained at the door) haunted, (She suddenly sees herself in the mirror.) Hawkes & Son (London), a Boosey & Hawkes company What else? no other, whom as much as you I’ve wanted, Well, dearest Madeleine, what says your heart?

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from The Show Is On Just give me an oom-pah-pah Maybe this gentle refrain by Strauss! some day will echo again, ‘By Strauss’ Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. bringing my lover’s caress, © 1936 (renewed 1963, 1964) Chappell & Co Inc, USA. 9 Away with the music of Broadway! bidding my heart say ‘Yes’. Warner/Chappell Music Ltd, London W6 8BS. Be off with your Irving Berlin! Words by Christopher Hassall. Lyrics reproduced by permission of IMP Ltd. Oh, I’d give no quarter Music by Ivor Novello. All Rights Reserved. © 1948 Chappell Music Ltd, London W6 8BS. to Kern or Cole Porter Lyrics reproduced by permission of IMP Ltd. Session photo: Yvonne Kenny and and Gershwin keeps pounding on tin. from King’s Rhapsody All Rights Reserved. Charles Kilpatrick How can I be civil Princess Cristiane’s Song when hearing this drivel? Some day my heart will awake It’s only for night-clubbing souses. 10 Some day my heart will awake. Oh, give me the free ‘n’ easy Some day the morning will break.

waltz that is Viennesey Duncan Russell Music will open my eyes, and go tell the band showing the skies if they want a hand golden with rapture. the waltz must be Strauss’s! Maybe this gentle refrain Ya, ya, ya! some day will echo again, Give me oom-pah-pah! bringing my lover’s caress, When I want a melody bidding my heart say ‘Yes’. lilting through the house Then I want a melody Lazy heart! Lazy heart! by Strauss! The leaves of summer fall and die, It laughs! It sings! but still you drift along the stream, The world is in rhyme not even troubled by a dream. swinging to three-quarter time. The birds are mating, Let the ‘Danube’ flow along but while you’re waiting, time slips by. and the ‘Fledermaus’! Keep the wine and give me song Some day my heart will awake. by Strauss! Some day the morning will break. By Jo! By Jing! Music will open my eyes, ‘By Strauss’ is the thing! showing the skies So I say to ha-cha-cha Heraus! golden with rapture.

54 55 CHAN 3099 BOOK.qxd 6/4/07 12:44 pm Page 56 Bill Rafferty Bill Branco Gaica Branco

Yvonne Kenny as Sylva Yvonne Kenny as the in Opera Australia’s Marschallin in English National production of Kálmán’s Opera’s production of Strauss’s The Gypsy Princess Der Rosenkavalier

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Opera in English on Chandos Opera in English on Chandos

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Opera in English on Chandos Artistic consultant to the Peter Moores Foundation: Patric Schmid Staging director: Charles Kilpatrick Vocal and language consultant: Ludmilla Andrew Music librarian: Jacqui Compton Translation research by Henrietta Bredin

Recording producer Brian Couzens Sound engineer Ralph Couzens Assistant engineer Matthew Walker Editor Rachel Smith Operas administrator Sue Shortridge Recording venue Blackheath Halls, London; 23–26 November 2002 Front cover Photograph by Kiren Chang of Yvonne Kenny as the Countess in Opera Australia’s production of Strauss’s Capriccio Back cover Photograph of Richard Hickox by Greg Barrett Design Sean Coleman Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge Booklet editor Kara Reed Copyright Amamda Holden (Rinaldo), Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd (Capriccio and Arabella), Oxford University Press (The Marriage of Figaro), Anne Ridler Estate (Così fan tutte), Glocken Verlag Ltd (The Merry Widow), Josef Weinberger Ltd (The Gypsy Princess), Chappell & Co. Inc. USA (The Show Is On) & Chappell & Co. Ltd (King’s Rhapsody) Publisher Excerpts from The Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte published by Alkor-Edition- Kassel p 2003 Chandos Records Ltd c 2003 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex CO2 8HQ, UK Printed in the EU CHAN 3097(2)

75 CHAN 3099 Inlay.qxd 6/4/07 12:31 pm Page 1 GREAT OPERATIC ARIAS: Yvonne Kenny 2 - LSO/Hickox GREAT OPERATIC ARIAS: Yvonne Kenny 2 - LSO/Hickox GREAT OPERATIC ARIAS CHANDOS DIGITAL CHAN 3099

Yvonne KENNY 2

George Frideric Handel Franz Lehár from Rinaldo from The Merry Widow 1 ‘Ah! Cruel man’ 5:22 6 ‘A Vilia who liv’d by a cool forest glade’ 5:32 with Geoffrey Mitchell Choir Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Emmerich Kálmán from The Marriage of Figaro from The Gypsy Princess 2 Letter Duet 7 ‘Where are they now?’ 6:37 ‘How delightful ’tis to wander’ 3:33 with Bruce Ford tenor with Rebecca Evans soprano Richard Strauss from Così fan tutte (All women are like that) 3 from Capriccio ‘Ah, forgive, my love, forgive me’ 8:47 8 Closing Scene ‘Where is my brother?’ 21:58 Richard Strauss with Roderick Williams baritone 4 from Arabella ‘He’s not the one who is right for me’ 6:36 George Gershwin with Rebecca Evans soprano 9 from The Show Is On ‘By Strauss’ 2:39 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 5 from Così fan tutte Ivor Novello ‘By tomorrow we’ll be together’ 6:17 from King’s Rhapsody with Bruce Ford tenor 10 ‘Some day my heart will awake’ 2:47 TT 70:14

Yvonne Kenny soprano HN3099 CHAN HN3099 CHAN CHANDOS CHANDOS London Symphony Orchestra Richard Hickox

p 2003 Chandos Records Ltd c 2003 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd • Colchester • Essex • England LC 7038 DDD Printed in the EU